Community Calendar

Sponsored by KNKX. Volunteer Park Trust is thrilled to announce the return of our Summer Series—featuring none other than two-time Grammy Award winner Sara Gazarek! Back by popular demand, Sara and her band will once again grace the stage at our spectacular series of performances in the beautifully renovated Volunteer Park Amphitheater.

Her appearances over the past two years have been a standout highlight of the season, captivating audiences of all ages and helping to shape this celebration into a beloved summer tradition.

This year’s lineup continues the momentum with a stellar roster of the Pacific Northwest’s finest musicians and songwriters. Each evening promises unforgettable performances in Capitol Hill’s new cultural hub—Volunteer Park.

Our free concerts will be held every Thursday from July 10 to August 14, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Our series kickoff on July 10, known as Picnic in the Park, will include kids’ activities and free ice cream. Food trucks will be available at every concert. Gather your friends and family, and join us in celebrating music, community, and summer in Seattle!

The lineup:

July 10
The Paperboys
Stacy Jones Band

July 17 - presented by KNKX
Sara Gazarek
Jovino Santos Neto

July 24
Nite Wave
The ABBAgraphs

July 31
LeRoy Bell and His Only Friends
Dance Church

August 7
Quincy Jones Tribute with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra - presented by KNKX

August 14
Kalimba
Day Soul Exquisite

Ballard SeafoodFest is an iconic Seattle 3-day festival that attracts more than 70,000 attendees each year. While visitors are drawn year after year to the incredible bounty of seafood delicacies, the event now celebrates a live performance stage, an expansive beer and cocktail garden that highlights the best of Ballard’s beverage scene, an eclectic mix of artisan craft vendors, family-friendly and all-ages activities, and much more. It all started in 1974 as a neighborhood salmon barbeque celebrating Ballard’s fishing industry and Scandinavian heritage while raising funds to support the Ballard community. The gathering quickly became a beloved tradition. Each year, Trident Seafoods shares their salmon catch, while Alder trees are selected and felled by hand. The salmon is then artfully prepared over open flame, creating an impressive aromatic, visual and edible centerpiece to the 50+ year community festival. The event remains free of charge to the public. All proceeds from Ballard SeafoodFest are reinvested back into the neighborhood through projects and programs that help ensure Ballard remains a vital and vibrant corner of Seattle.

Presented by KNKX. Son Cubano is one of the most popular musical styles in Cuba, and Grammy-nominated Kiki Valera is one of its foremost exponents. Over the last century, this style of traditional Cuban music has contributed to many other genres of music including salsa, cha cha cha, mambo and Latin jazz. Kiki Valera is the oldest son of the famous La Familia Valera Miranda septet, a multi-generational music group from Santiago de Cuba. Since the 19th century, La Familia Valera Miranda has played a significant role in Cuban culture by collecting and preserving the deep-rooted traditions of the legendary Sierra Maestra mountain region. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and producer, he’s best known as one of the world’s greatest players of the Cuban cuatro, a mid-size guitar with 8 strings grouped in sets of 2. His current project features other internationally acclaimed recording artists including Grammy Award-winning vocalists Jeremy Bosch and Carlos Cascante of Spanish Harlem Orchestra fame.

Bill Evans re-defined Jazz piano in the 1960s with his subtlety, lyricism, and unique approach to harmony. One of the many players influenced by this legacy is the prolific Canadian composer and virtuoso pianist, Renee Rosnes.

The Piano Starts Here series highlights the work of some of the most prolific and talented composers and pianists to have ever tackled the instrument. Each of the performances brings together Seattle’s finest pianists to perform the works of the artist selected for that evening on the Royal Room’s Steinway B grand piano. Past PSH performances have highlighted the work of Sonny Clark, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Sun Ra, Annette Peacock, Bill Evans, Mary-Lou Williams, Fats Waller, Herbie Hancock, Alice Coltrane, Herbie Nichols, and countless others.

Curated by Wayne Horvitz and Alex Guilbert. Hosted by Alex Guilbert.

Featuring:

Marc Seales
Lynette Westendorf
Michael Owcharuk
Ryan Burns
Kate Molloy
Alex Guilbert

Presented by KNKX. As one of the most innovative and influential pedal steel guitarists of his generation, Robert Randolph blends gospel, rock, blues, and soul in a way that speaks to both his musical roots and modern-day artistry. His highly anticipated new solo album, Preacher Kids, set for release on Sun Records, marks a pivotal moment in his career. Produced by Shooter Jennings (known for his work with Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker), this album captures Randolph stepping outside of his work with the six-time Grammy-nominated Robert Randolph & The Family Band.

Recorded at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles and Zac Brown’s Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, the project features a collective of musicians who, like Randolph, grew up as preachers' kids. Together, they share stories of transitioning from church music to the world of rock and blues, while never losing the powerful spiritual connection that first inspired them. The sessions for this album began as a series of jam sessions, with Randolph and the band focusing on capturing the raw, live energy of their sound. Later, these jams were rounded out with songwriting sessions, where the songs took shape, maintaining the spirit and spontaneity of their original creation.

He has also contributed to major musical moments across genres. Randolph performed with Luke Combs on a Charley Pride tribute for CMT, played on Jon Batiste’s We Are, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year, worked on the Elvis movie soundtrack, and performed on the Zac Brown Band’s tour. Most recently, he celebrated the Grammy win for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, for which he contributed pedal steel in "16 Carriages" and "Ya Ya."

Sponsored by KNKX. The 38th Annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival is located at the Blues Ranch on the Methow River in the resort town of Winthrop, Washington. The three-day event is packed full of exciting national and regional entertainment for all ages. There is on-site camping, food and craft vendors, portable showers, and a beer garden. The Blues Ranch is the perfect setting for one of Washington’s finest music festivals.

The 2025 lineup includes:
Samantha Fish
Robert Randolph
Tab Benoit
Diggin Dirt
Sugaray Rayford
CJ Chenier
The Heavy Heavy
Lachy Doley
Too Slim & The Taildraggers
Joel Astley
and more!

Sponsored by KNKX. Tickets are sold out to this event, but you can still support the great work Oasis Youth Center does by donating in honor of their 40th Anniversary.

Oasis Youth Center is the only organization responding to the unique needs of queer youth in Pierce and surrounding counties. Our goal is to go beyond support for survival; we aim to cultivate accessible pathways for youth to thrive authentically. To achieve this, we have over 30 hours of weekly programming and special events throughout the year tailored to the needs and interests of queer youth. Each program and event helps nurture a healthy, thriving community engaged in cultural celebration, leadership development, artistic expression, and stewardship of the legacy and impact the LGBTQ+ community has in the world.

Sponsored by KNKX. Bremerton’s Admiral Theatre Foundation and Kitsap Fair and Stampede Association proudly present the 2nd annual Kitsap Blues Music Festival on Labor Day Weekend - Friday, August 29 - Sunday, August 31, 2025 at the Kitsap Fairgrounds in Bremerton, Washington. Enjoy a variety of incredible rhythm and blues artists over three days. BBQ, Concessions & More. Beer & Wine Gardens. Only 21+ admitted.

The lineup includes Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Eric Gales, Shemekia Copeland, Duffy Bishop, and so much more!